In 1679, in the forested hills where Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands nearly meet, someone placed a small statue of the Virgin Mary in the hollow of an old oak tree. Passersby stopped to pray; healings were reported; word spread through the surrounding villages. Within seven years, a chapel had risen on the hillside, and a pilgrimage was born that would outlast kingdoms and empires, borders and wars.
The shrine's location adds a unique dimension to its spiritual meaning. After Napoleon's defeat, the powers at the Congress of Vienna could not agree who should control the valuable zinc mines nearby. They created a curious solution: Neutral Moresnet, a tiny territory belonging to neither Prussia nor the Netherlands. For over a century, this no-man's-land existed as a quirk of history—and all the while, pilgrims from both sides of the disputed border came to pray before the Virgin of the oak tree.
The political anomaly ended after World War I, when the Treaty of Versailles assigned the territory to Belgium. But the spiritual significance of this crossroads of nations has only grown. Today the Franciscan Conventual friars maintain the shrine, welcoming pilgrims from Belgium, Germany, and beyond who come to honor Mary in this borderland sanctuary where three nations meet.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The devotion at Moresnet began around 1679, when a small statue of the Virgin Mary was placed in a hollow oak tree on the hillside. The statue may have been placed there by a local farmer seeking Mary's protection for his fields, or by travelers grateful for safe passage. Local people came to pray, and reports of healings spread through the region. By 1686, a small chapel had been constructed to shelter the growing devotion and protect the statue from the elements.
The shrine's unique political situation developed after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. When the diplomats redrew Europe's map, they could not agree whether the zinc mines of Vieille Montagne belonged to the Kingdom of the Netherlands or to Prussia. Their solution created Neutral Moresnet—a territory of just 3.5 square kilometers that would remain independent for 103 years. The pilgrimage chapel served Catholics from both sides of the disputed border, a spiritual unity amid political division.
After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles assigned the territory to Belgium. The shrine continued to flourish, maintained by various religious orders and finally entrusted to the Franciscan Conventual friars, who bring their tradition of Marian devotion and humble service to this border sanctuary.
The current church, built in the 19th century and significantly expanded in the 20th, can accommodate the large pilgrimage groups that gather for major feasts. The original miraculous statue—or a close replica—remains the focus of devotion, the heart of a pilgrimage that has endured since the age of Louis XIV.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Moresnet-Chapelle
Chapel of Our Lady of Moresnet
Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Moresnet
The pilgrimage church houses the venerated statue of Our Lady of Moresnet in a place of honor above the high altar. The interior features votive offerings from grateful pilgrims covering the walls—silver hearts, crutches, testimonies written and drawn. The architecture combines 19th-century devotional style with later 20th-century expansions to accommodate growing pilgrim numbers.
Outdoor Calvary and Stations of the Cross
The hillside paths include stations of the cross and a calvary group, allowing pilgrims to pray while walking through the forested landscape that gives the shrine its peaceful atmosphere. The natural setting recalls the original oak tree where the devotion began.
Franciscan Friary
The Franciscan Conventual community maintains the shrine and provides hospitality to pilgrims. The friars offer confession, spiritual direction, and a welcoming presence that connects modern visitors to centuries of Franciscan devotion to Mary.
The Border Triangle
Nearby is the Drielandenpunt (Three Countries Point), where Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands meet. Some pilgrims visit both the spiritual crossroads of the chapel and the geographical crossroads of the nations—a meditation on the unity that transcends borders.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Assumption of Mary — August 15
The principal feast draws the largest crowds of the year to this border sanctuary. Pilgrims from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands gather to honor Mary's heavenly glory. Multiple Masses accommodate the crowds.
Marian Month — May
Special devotions throughout May honor the Virgin Mary with rosary processions, evening Masses, and May crownings in the tradition of Catholic Marian months.
Pilgrimage Season — Spring through Fall
The shrine welcomes organized groups and individual pilgrims during the warmer months. The Franciscan community offers Masses for groups and opportunities for confession.
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes — February 11
A winter feast connecting Moresnet's Marian devotion to the great French apparition site.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Charlemagne Hotel ⭐⭐⭐ — Near Aachen Cathedral, combining pilgrimages to both the German imperial shrine and Moresnet. Reserve this hotel
Hotel Amrath DuCasque ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Historic hotel in Maastricht with elegant rooms and excellent restaurant. Reserve this hotel
Hotels in Aachen (15 km east) — The German city of Aachen offers a wide range of accommodations near its famous cathedral.
Hotels in Verviers (15 km west) — Belgian city with good hotel options and easy access to both Moresnet and Banneux.
🚗 Getting There
By Car: From Liège, take the E40 east toward Aachen. Exit at Henri-Chapelle and follow signs to Moresnet-Chapelle. From Aachen, take the B1 toward Eupen, then follow local signs. Free parking at the shrine.
By Train: The nearest stations are Welkenraedt (Belgium, 5 km) and Aachen Hauptbahnhof (Germany, 15 km). From either, take a taxi or local bus to Moresnet-Chapelle.
By Air: Liège Airport (LGG) is 35 km southwest. Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) is 85 km east. Both offer car rental.
📚 Further Reading
Hubert Jenniges. Moresnet-Chapelle: Histoire d'un lieu de pèlerinage — History of the shrine and its unique political context (in French).
🔗 Useful Links
Moresnet-Chapelle — Local tourism and shrine information.
Diocese of Liège — Diocesan pilgrimage resources.
Plombières Tourism — Municipal visitor information.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Banneux (30 km southwest) — Site of 1933 apparitions of Our Lady of the Poor, one of Belgium's approved Marian shrines.
Aachen Cathedral (15 km east) — Charlemagne's imperial cathedral with relics of Christ and Mary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Germany).
Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (100 km west) — Belgium's national Marian shrine, the "Lourdes of the Low Countries."
Maastricht (35 km north) — Basilica of Our Lady Star of the Sea with miraculous statue (Netherlands).
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." — Matthew 18:20
